Fate Vs Free Will Doctor Faustus

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  • Created by: lydia82
  • Created on: 20-01-19 15:20
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  • `Fate and Free Will
    • ...Till, swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit,His waxen wings did mount above his reach,And melting heavens conspired his overthrow.For falling to a devilish exercise,And glutted more with learning's golden gifts,He surfeits upon cursed necromancy. (20-25)
      • Also used in Sin and Redemption theme
      • Untitled
    • I am a servant to great Lucifer,And may not follow thee without his leave;No more than he commands must we perform. (40-42)
      • Mes. says that he cannot be a servant of Faustus until he has given permission
      • Lucifer then is introduced and tempts Faustus to signing away his soul
      • This could be an argument of free will as Faustus could have chosen not to but he did
      • But then it could be fate as Lucifer limits the powers that Faustus has and decides what he can do and what he can't, that means his end is inevitable?
    • On God, whom Faustus hath blasphemed? Ah my God—I would weep, but the devil draws in my tears! gush forth blood, instead of tears—yea, life and soul! O, he stays my tongue! I would lift up my hands, but see, they hold them, they hold them! (27-31)
      • Scholars try to get Faustus to repent but he believes that he has messed up so much that he can't call onto God
      • Here he suggests that his actions are limited because the devil is in control
        • This is partially true as because he signed the deal, the devil tries to stop him from repenting so it is fated of his end
      • Could link to Temp, Sin and Redemption
    • The constant deliberation seems to imply that Faustus is making decisions based on his own free will
      • He decides to ignore the Good angel when they try to dissuade him

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